TITLE
Recommendation to receive a report on the State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) and adopt staff recommendation, Option B, relating to the implementation of the ERAP. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
On December 27, 2020, the Federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 was passed by Congress, which established the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) and appropriated $25 billion in federal rental assistance, including $2.6 billion to the State of California (State). Of the $2.6 billion, $1.1 billion is allocated directly to counties and cities with populations over 200,000, including Long Beach (Federal Allocation). The remaining $1.5 billion is allocated to the State to either be distributed directly to eligible landlords and tenants or allocated to jurisdictions with populations over 200,000 as a State Block Grant. California Senate Bill 91 (SB 91), passed on January 29, 2021, created the State ERAP to administer the $1.5 billion State allocation.
The City of Long Beach (City) has been awarded a Federal Allocation of $13.8 million. In addition, the State has reserved $14.8 million in Block Grant funds for the City.
The State is providing the following three options for jurisdictions to implement the State ERAP:
A. The City will participate in the State ERAP and will also direct its Federal Allocation through the State Program to serve its population, with the State administering all funds rather than the local jurisdiction.
B. The City requests its reserved Block Grant from the State and will conform to the State ERAP Rules when self-administering a local program combining the State and Federal Allocation resources. This would result in a locally-administered program.
C. The City will not conform to the State ERAP Rules, will self-administer the Federal Allocation, acknowledges that the State will also serve the City’s population via the State ERAP, and accepts responsibility for duplication of benefits checks between the two programs...
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